Connection terminal and terminal-equipped electric wire

ABSTRACT

A connection terminal includes: a terminal fitting; an insulating covering member attachable and detachable from one end in a virtual axis direction of the terminal fitting along the virtual axis direction; and a locking structure undetachably locking the covering member to the terminal fitting. The covering member includes two covering portions sandwiching and covering, in a direction orthogonal to the virtual axis direction, covering target portions at opposite ends of the terminal fitting, the covering target portions are areas capable of being finger-touch prevention targets, the locking structure includes, for each of combinations of the covering target portions and the covering portions, a locking protrusion provided in one of the covering target portion and the covering portion, and a locking groove provided in the other of the covering target portion and the covering portion and configured to lock the locking protrusion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by referencethe entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-172788 filedin Japan on Sep. 24, 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connection terminal and aterminal-equipped electric wire.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a conventional connector, a connection terminal accommodated within ahousing thereof is physically and electrically connected to a matingconnection terminal of a mating connector inserted therein from anopening of the housing. Thus, the connection terminal is accommodatedwithin the housing in an exposed state visible from the opening. In thistype of connector, when the connection terminal is placed at a positionallowing an operator or the like to touch the connection terminal withhis/her finger(s) through the opening of the housing, a terminal fittingconstituting the connection terminal may be partially covered with aninsulating covering member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos.2014-78402, 2014-179290, 2017-123223, and 2019-3744 disclose such aconnection terminal having a terminal fitting partially covered with aninsulating covering member.

Such a connection terminal has an area to be covered with an insulatingcovering member, optimized for each connector to which the connectionterminal is applied. Thus, a need exists to easily provide theinsulating covering member for the conventional connection terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connectionterminal and a terminal-equipped electric wire capable of easilypreventing a finger touch.

In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a connection terminalaccording to one aspect of the present invention includes a terminalfitting; an insulating covering member attachable to and detachable fromthe terminal fitting from one end in a virtual axis direction of theterminal fitting along the virtual axis direction; and a lockingstructure provided between the terminal fitting and the covering memberand configured to undetachably lock the covering member to the terminalfitting, wherein the covering member includes two covering portionsconfigured to sandwich and cover, in a direction orthogonal to thevirtual axis direction, covering target portions disposed at oppositeends in the orthogonal direction of the terminal fitting, the coveringtarget portions are areas capable of being finger-touch preventiontargets to be prevented from being touched by a finger when accommodatedwithin a casing of a connector, the locking structure includes, for eachof combinations of the covering target portions and the coveringportions arranged opposite to each other in the orthogonal direction, alocking protrusion provided in one of the covering target portion andthe covering portion, and a locking groove provided in the other of thecovering target portion and the covering portion and configured to lockthe locking protrusion in the virtual axis direction when the lockingprotrusion is inserted thereinto, and each of the covering portions hassuch flexibility as to enable elastic deformation along a lock releasedirection for releasing a lock state between the locking protrusion andthe locking groove for the covering portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in the connectionterminal, it is possible to configure that the pair of the lockingprotrusion and the locking groove is formed to set the orthogonaldirection as the lock release direction.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, in theconnection terminal, it is possible to configure that the coveringmember includes a sub covering portion configured to cover an endsurface at the end in the virtual axis direction of the terminal fittingin addition to two main covering portions as the covering portions.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, in theconnection terminal, it is possible to configure that the sub coveringportion is coupled to each of the two main covering portions, and thepair of the locking protrusion and the locking groove is formed to set adirection orthogonal to both the virtual axis direction and an opposingdirection of the two main covering portions as the lock releasedirection.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, in theconnection terminal, it is possible to configure that the terminalfitting includes an electrical connection portion formed in arectangular plate shape, at least one of two flat surfaces along thevirtual axis direction of the electrical connection portion being usedas a contact portion with a mating connection terminal, and the coveringtarget portions are individually disposed on end surfaces on two sidesalong the virtual axis direction of the electrical connection portion.

In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a terminal-equippedelectric wire according to still another aspect of the present inventionincludes an electric wire; and a connection terminal physically andelectrically connected to the electric wire, wherein the connectionterminal includes: a terminal fitting; an insulating covering memberattachable to and detachable from the terminal fitting from one end in avirtual axis direction of the terminal fitting along the virtual axisdirection; and a locking structure provided between the terminal fittingand the covering member and configured to undetachably lock the coveringmember to the terminal fitting, the covering member includes twocovering portions configured to sandwich and cover, in a directionorthogonal to the virtual axis direction, covering target portionsdisposed at opposite ends in the orthogonal direction of the terminalfitting, the covering target portions are areas capable of beingfinger-touch prevention targets to be prevented from being touched by afinger when accommodated within a casing of a connector, the lockingstructure includes, for each of combinations of the covering targetportions and the covering portions arranged opposite to each other inthe orthogonal direction, a locking protrusion provided in one of thecovering target portion and the covering portion, and a locking grooveprovided in the other of the covering target portion and the coveringportion and configured to lock the locking protrusion in the virtualaxis direction when the locking protrusion is inserted thereinto, andeach of the covering portions has such flexibility as to enable elasticdeformation along a lock release direction for releasing a lock statebetween the locking protrusion and the locking groove for the coveringportion.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical andindustrial significance of this invention will be better understood byreading the following detailed description of presently preferredembodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a connectionterminal and a terminal-equipped electric wire of an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment as viewed from acontact portion side;

FIG. 3 is an exploded plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment as viewed from acovering target portion side;

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view along an X-X line inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the connection terminal andthe terminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment as viewed from thecontact portion side;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment as viewed from thecovering target portion side;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the embodiment as viewed in a virtualaxis direction;

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view along an X-X line inFIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a step of attaching acovering member to a terminal fitting;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a connector and a matingconnector before fitting connection;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating from another angle theconnector and the mating connector before the fitting connection;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the connector and the matingconnector after the fitting connection;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the connector;

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the matingconnector;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a connectionterminal and a terminal-equipped electric wire of a modification;

FIG. 17 is an exploded plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed from acontact portion side;

FIG. 18 is an exploded plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed from acovering target portion side;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view along a Y-Y line in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating the connection terminal andthe terminal-equipped electric wire of the modification;

FIG. 21 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed from thecontact portion side;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed from thecovering target portion side;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed in avirtual axis direction;

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view along a Y-Y line in FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a step of attaching acovering member to a terminal fitting;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the step of attachingthe covering member to the terminal fitting, illustrating a modifiedform of the covering member; and

FIG. 27 is a plan view of the connection terminal and theterminal-equipped electric wire of the modification as viewed from thecontact portion side, illustrating a modified form of the coveringmember.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment(s) of a connection terminal and aterminal-equipped electric wire according to the present invention willbe described in detail based on the drawings. Note that theembodiment(s) is/are not intended to limit the invention.

Embodiment

One embodiment of the connection terminal and the terminal-equippedelectric wire according to the present invention will be described basedon FIGS. 1 to 15.

Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 to 10 denotes a connection terminal ofthe present embodiment. Reference character Wt in FIGS. 1 to 10 denotesa terminal-equipped electric wire of the present embodiment. Theconnection terminal 1 includes a terminal fitting 10 and an insulatingcovering member 20 attachable to and detachable from the terminalfitting 10 from one end in an axial direction of a virtual axis Pi(FIGS. 2 to 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10) (referred to as “virtual axis direction”below) of the terminal fitting 10 along the virtual axis direction. Theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt includes the connection terminal 1and an electric wire We. The connection terminal 1 is physically andelectrically connected to the electric wire We (FIGS. 1 to 10). In thefollowing, the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electricwire Wt will be described along with a description of a connector 501 asan example to which the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equippedelectric wire Wt are applied (FIGS. 11 to 14).

The connector 501 in this example is electrically connected to a matingconnector 601 (FIGS. 11 to 13 and 15) to electrically connect aconnection target electrically connected to the connector 501 and aconnection target electrically connected to the mating connector 601.The mating connector 601 provided in a mating apparatus 600 (FIGS. 11 to13) is a connection target of the connector 501. The connector 501 inthis example electrically connects the connection terminal 1 providedtherein to a mating connection terminal 610 (FIG. 15) of the matingconnector 601, thereby electrically connecting an apparatus (notillustrated), to which the connector 501 is electrically connected viathe electric wire We, to the mating apparatus 600.

The connector 501 includes two connection terminals 1 mounted on ends oftwo electric wires We. Meanwhile, the mating connector 601 includes twomating connection terminals 610 provided corresponding to the connectionterminals 1 of the connector 501. One of each connection terminal 1 andeach mating connection terminal 610 is formed as a male terminal, andthe other as a female terminal. In this example, the connectionterminals 1 are formed as male terminals, and the mating connectionterminals 610 as female terminals.

The terminal fittings 10 of the connection terminals 1 and the matingconnection terminals 610 are formed of a conductive material such as ametal material. In this example, a conductive metal plate is used as abase material for forming the terminal fittings 10 and the matingconnection terminals 610 by cutting or press forming such as bending.Each terminal fitting 10 has a male electrical connection portion 11 tobe physically and electrically connected to the corresponding matingconnection terminal 610, and an electric wire connection portion 12 tobe physically and electrically connected to the end of the correspondingelectric wire We (FIGS. 1 to 10). Meanwhile, each mating connectionterminal 610 has a female electrical connection portion 611 to bephysically and electrically connected to the electrical connectionportion 11 of the corresponding terminal fitting 10 (FIG. 15).

The electrical connection portion 11 is formed in a rectangular plateshape (FIGS. 1 to 10). The virtual axis Pi is set to extend along twoflat surfaces (a first wall surface 11 a, a second wall surface lib) inthe center between these flat surfaces and along an extension directionof end surfaces (a first end surface 11 c, a second end surface lid) ontwo sides in the center between these end surfaces in the electricalconnection portion 11 (FIGS. 2, 3, 6, and 7). Thus, the remaining twosides of the electrical connection portion 11 are orthogonal to thevirtual axis direction. One of the remaining two sides is a front end 11e, and the other is a rear end 11 f (FIGS. 1 to 7, 9, and 10). Thecovering member 20 is attached and detached from the side at the frontend 11 e of the electrical connection portion 11. The electric wireconnection portion 12 is disposed on the side at the rear end 11 f ofthe electrical connection portion 11.

In the electrical connection portion 11, at least one of the first wallsurface 11 a and the second wall surface 11 b along the virtual axisdirection is used as a contact portion with the mating connectionterminal 610. That is, at least one of the first wall surface 11 a andthe second wall surface 11 b of the electrical connection portion 11 isphysically and electrically connected to the electrical connectionportion 611 of the mating connection terminal 610. Each electricalconnection portion 611 has two contact portions (a first contact portion611 a, a second contact portion 611 b) arranged opposite to each otherwith a distance therebetween so as to allow the corresponding electricalconnection portion 11 to be fitted therebetween (FIG. 15). Fitting theelectrical connection portion 11 between the first contact portion 611 aand the second contact portion 611 b enables contact between the firstwall surface 11 a and the first contact portion 611 a, and between thesecond wall surface 11 b and the second contact portion 611 b.

The mating connector 601 includes a mating housing 620 as a componentfor accommodating the mating connection terminals 610 (FIGS. 11 to 13and 15). The mating housing 620 is formed of an insulating material suchas a synthetic resin. The mating housing 620 has a first contactaccommodating portion 621 that accommodates each first contact portion611 a, and a second contact accommodating portion 622 that accommodateseach second contact portion 611 b (FIGS. 11 and 15). The first contactaccommodating portion 621 and the second contact accommodating portion622 are arranged opposite to each other with a distance therebetween,and expose therefrom respective contacting portions of the first contactportion 611 a and the second contact portion 611 b with the electricalconnection portion 11. The mating housing 620 in this example includesan accommodating member 620A and a holding member 620B (FIG. 15). Themating connection terminals 610 accommodated in the accommodating member620A are held by the holding member 620B.

The electrical connection portion 11 is fitted into the electricalconnection portion 611 from one side (excluding the side at the rear end11 f) out of the four sides forming the rectangular shape, along adirection orthogonal to this side and along a surface direction of thefirst wall surface 11 a and the second wall surface lib. That is, theelectrical connection portion 11 can be fitted into the electricalconnection portion 611 from one of the end surfaces (the first endsurface 11 c, the second end surface lid) on the two sides along thevirtual axis direction and an end surface on the side at the front end11 e. For the connector 501 in this example, one of the end surfaces(the first end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11 d) on the twosides along the virtual axis direction is directed toward a terminalinsertion port 533 b of a housing 530 described later. Thus, theelectrical connection portion 11 is fitted into the electricalconnection portion 611 from the end surface on this side.

Respective areas in a direction orthogonal to the virtual axis directionof the electrical connection portion 11 in this example are symmetric toeach other with respect to the virtual axis direction. Thus, both theend surfaces (the first end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11 d)on the two sides along the virtual axis direction can be directed towardthe terminal insertion port 533 b within the housing 530. This allowsthe electrical connection portion 11 to be fitted into the electricalconnection portion 611 from both the end surfaces (the first end surface11 c, the second end surface 11 d) on the two sides.

The electric wire connection portion 12 may be pressure-bonded bycrimping or fixed by welding to the end of the electric wire We. In thisexample, the electric wire connection portion 12 is fixed to the end ofthe electric wire We by welding. The electric wire We is pulled out ofthe electric wire connection portion 12 along the virtual axisdirection.

The terminal fitting 10 has two covering target portions 13 to becovered with the covering member 20 at opposite ends in the directionorthogonal to the virtual axis direction of the electrical connectionportion 11 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 to 6, and 8 to 10). The covering targetportions 13 are areas capable of being finger-touch prevention targetsto be prevented from being touched by the finger(s) of an operator orthe like when accommodated within the housing 530 described later. Forthe electrical connection portion 11 in this example in which both theend surfaces (the first end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11 d)on the two sides along the virtual axis direction can be directed towardthe terminal insertion port 533 b as described above, a finger touch onthe end surfaces (the first end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11d) on the two sides needs to be prevented. To this end, the coveringtarget portions 13 are individually disposed on the end surfaces (thefirst end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11 d) on the two sides inthis example. To be more specific, portions of the two end surfaces (thefirst end surface 11 c, the second end surface 11 d) possibly exposedfrom the terminal insertion port 533 b within the housing 530 are set asthe covering target portions 13. That is, the covering member 20 is amember used for preventing the electrical connection portion 11 of theterminal fitting 10 from being touched by the finger(s) of an operatoror the like when the electrical connection portion 11 is accommodatedwithin the housing 530. Thus, the covering member 20 is formed of aninsulating material such as a synthetic resin. In the following, adirection simply referred to as “direction orthogonal to the virtualaxis direction” means a direction in which the covering target portions13 of the first end surface 11 c and the second end surface 11 d arearranged opposite to each other.

The covering member 20 has two covering portions (a first coveringportion 21, a second covering portion 22) that sandwich and cover, inthe direction orthogonal to the virtual axis direction, the two coveringtarget portions 13 disposed at the opposite ends in the orthogonaldirection (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 to 6, and 8 to 10). The first covering portion21 is arranged opposite to the covering target portion 13 of the firstend surface 11 c in a contact state in the direction orthogonal to thevirtual axis direction. The second covering portion 22 is arrangedopposite to the covering target portion 13 of the second end surface 11d in a contact state in the direction orthogonal to the virtual axisdirection. The first covering portion 21 and the second covering portion22 in this example are each formed as a rectangular-parallelepiped armalong the virtual axis direction. The first covering portion 21 and thesecond covering portion 22 in this example are also each formed suchthat a thickness in a direction orthogonal to both of an opposingdirection of the first covering portion 21 and the second coveringportion 22 and the virtual axis direction is equal to or smaller than athickness of the electrical connection portion 11 (a distance betweenthe first wall surface 11 a and the second wall surface 11 b).

The covering member 20 has a coupling portion 23 that couples a firstend of the first covering portion 21 and a first end of the secondcovering portion 22 together (FIGS. 1 to 8). A through hole 23 a forinserting the electrical connection portion 11 is formed in the couplingportion 23 (FIGS. 1 and 4). The coupling portion 23 in this example isformed in a rectangular plate shape having a flat surface orthogonal tothe virtual axis direction. The through hole 23 a having a rectangularshape is formed in substantially the center of the coupling portion 23.The coupling portion 23 in this example is protruded in the directionorthogonal to both the virtual axis direction and the opposing directionof the first covering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22 fromthe rectangular through hole 23 a.

The connection terminal 1 includes a locking structure 30 providedbetween the terminal fitting 10 and the covering member 20 andconfigured to undetachably lock the covering member 20 to the terminalfitting 10 (FIGS. 1, 4, 9, and 10). The locking structure 30 includes,for each of combinations of the covering target portions and thecovering portions arranged opposite to each other in the directionorthogonal to the virtual axis direction, a locking protrusion 31provided in one of the covering target portion and the covering portion,and a locking groove 32 provided in the other of the covering targetportion and the covering portion and configured to lock the lockingprotrusion 31 in the virtual axis direction when the locking protrusion31 is inserted thereinto. In this example, the locking protrusion 31 isprovided in each of the first covering portion 21 and the secondcovering portion 22, and the locking groove 32 in each of the coveringtarget portions 13 of the first end surface 11 c and the second endsurface 11 d. The respective locking protrusions 31 are arrangedopposite to each other in the opposing direction of the first coveringportion 21 and the second covering portion 22. The respective lockinggrooves 32 are formed corresponding to the positions of the respectivelocking protrusions 31. The pair of each locking protrusion 31 and eachlocking groove 32 is formed in such a shape as to enable insertion andremoval.

The locking protrusion 31 of the first covering portion 21 is protrudedfrom a second end thereof toward a second end of the second coveringportion 22 (FIGS. 1, 4, 9, and 10). A cutout is formed close to thefront end 11 e of the electrical connection portion 11 in the coveringtarget portion 13 of the first end surface 11 c. The cutout is used asthe locking groove 32 (FIGS. 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10). The firstcovering portion 21 has such flexibility as to enable elasticdeformation along a lock release direction for releasing a lock statebetween the locking protrusion 31 and the locking groove 32 for thefirst covering portion 21. An elastic deformation shape of the firstcovering portion 21 along the lock release direction is, in other words,an elastic deformation shape of the first covering portion 21 requiredin bringing the locking protrusion 31 and the locking groove 32 into thelock state, and is identical with an elastic deformation shape at leastimmediately before the locking protrusion 31 is inserted into thelocking groove 32. For example, the insertion and removal of the pair ofthe locking protrusion 31 and the locking groove 32 are enabled in theopposing direction of the first covering portion 21 and the coveringtarget portion 13, and in the direction orthogonal to both the opposingdirection and the virtual axis direction. In this example, the lockingprotrusion 31 is inserted into and removed from the locking groove 32only in the opposing direction of the first covering portion 21 and thecovering target portion 13. To this end, the covering member 20 includesa sandwiching piece 24 provided at the second end of the first coveringportion 21 so as to sandwich the front end 11 e of the electricalconnection portion 11 from the first wall surface 11 a and the secondwall surface 11 b (FIGS. 1 to 8). Thus, the pair of the lockingprotrusion 31 and the locking groove 32 of the locking structure 30 inthis example is formed to set the direction orthogonal to the virtualaxis direction as the lock release direction.

The second covering portion 22 is formed in a shape symmetric to thefirst covering portion 21 with respect to the virtual axis Pi, and canbe elastically deformed in an opposite direction from the first coveringportion 21 with respect to the virtual axis Pi. Thus, the secondcovering portion 22 can lock the locking protrusion 31 at the second endto the locking groove 32 in the covering target portion 13 of the secondend surface 11 d, and release the lock state similarly to the firstcovering portion 21. A sandwiching piece 24 is also provided at thesecond end of the second covering portion 22 so as to sandwich the frontend 11 e of the electrical connection portion 11 from the first wallsurface 11 a and the second wall surface 11 b similarly to the firstcovering portion 21 (FIGS. 1 to 8).

In the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wtof the present embodiment described above, the terminal fitting 10 isinserted into the through hole 23 a of the coupling portion 23 of thecovering member 20 from the front end 11 e of the electrical connectionportion (FIG. 4). In the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equippedelectric wire Wt, the first covering portion 21 and the second coveringportion 22 are elastically deformed and bent in the direction orthogonalto the virtual axis direction (FIG. 10). The first covering portion 21and the second covering portion 22 are bent to positions where therespective locking protrusions 31 do not lock the side at the front end11 e of the electrical connection portion 11. In the connection terminal1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt, while the first coveringportion 21 and the second covering portion 22 are being bent asdescribed above, the respective locking protrusions 31 of the firstcovering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22 are inserted intothe respective locking grooves 32 of the covering target portions 13 ofthe first end surface 11 c and the second end surface 11 d (FIG. 9). Inthe connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt,with the pair of each locking protrusion 31 and each locking groove 32brought into the lock state as described above, the covering targetportions 13 of the first end surface 11 c and the second end surface 11d are covered with the first covering portion 21 and the second coveringportion 22.

In the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt,for example, an operator elastically deforms and bends the firstcovering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22, or a jig or thelike is used to elastically deform and bend the first covering portion21 and the second covering portion 22 (FIG. 10). When the couplingportion 23 abuts against positioning protrusions (FIGS. 1 to 7, 9, and10) individually protruded from the first end surface 11 c and thesecond end surface 11 d in the above state, the bending of the firstcovering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22 is eliminated.This enables the respective locking protrusions 31 of the first coveringportion 21 and the second covering portion 22 to be inserted into therespective locking grooves 32 of the covering target portions 13 of thefirst end surface 11 c and the second end surface 11 d in the connectionterminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt (FIG. 9).

The locking protrusion 31 of the first covering portion 21 in thisexample has an inclined surface 25 that is inclined to a traveldirection of the electrical connection portion 11 in attaching thecovering member 20 to the terminal fitting 10, along a protrudingdirection of the locking protrusion 31 with respect to the opposingdirection of the first covering portion 21 and the second coveringportion 22 (i.e., an insertion and removal direction of the pair of thelocking protrusion 31 and the locking groove 32) (FIGS. 4, 9, and 10).The locking protrusion 31 of the second covering portion 22 in thisexample also has an inclined surface 25 that is inclined to the traveldirection of the electrical connection portion 11, along a protrudingdirection of the locking protrusion 31 with respect to the opposingdirection of the first covering portion 21 and the second coveringportion 22 (the insertion and removal direction of the pair of thelocking protrusion 31 and the locking groove 32) (FIGS. 4, 9, and 10).In the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt,the electrical connection portion 11 is inserted into the through hole23 a of the coupling portion 23 and moved until the front end 11 e ofthe electrical connection portion 11 abuts against the inclined surfaces25 of the respective locking protrusions 31. The respective inclinedsurfaces 25 convert a force received from the front end 11 e of theelectrical connection portion 11 into a force in the direction to bendthe first covering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22. Thatis, in the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wireWt, the front end 11 e of the electrical connection portion 11elastically deforms and pushes open the first covering portion 21 andthe second covering portion 22 while traveling along the inclinedsurfaces 25 of the respective locking protrusions (FIG. 10). In theconnection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt, therespective locking protrusions 31 climb on the first end surface 11 cand the second end surface 11 d at the front end 11 e, and then climbover the first end surface 11 c and the second end surface 11 d at thefront end 11 e to eliminate the bending of the first covering portion 21and the second covering portion 22. The respective locking protrusions31 of the first covering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22are thereby inserted into the respective locking grooves 32 of thecovering target portions 13 of the first end surface 11 c and the secondend surface 11 d (FIG. 9).

As described above, in the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present embodiment, each ofthe first covering portion 21 and the second covering portion 22 of thecovering member 20 is provided with one of the locking protrusion 31 andthe locking groove 32, and is given flexibility. Thus, the coveringmember 20 can be attached to the terminal fitting 10 only by insertingthe terminal fitting 10 provided with the other of the lockingprotrusion 31 and the locking groove 32 into the covering member 20.Consequently, the connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equippedelectric wire Wt can easily prevent a finger touch on the terminalfitting 10. Additionally, since the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present embodiment employ sucha simple structure, the terminal fitting 10 and the covering member 20can be made of a variety of materials and formed in a variety of shapes.This also makes it easier to achieve the finger-touch prevention for theterminal fitting 10. Moreover, in the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present embodiment, it is notnecessary to increase the number of steps of forming the shape (thelocking grooves 32) used for attaching the covering member 20 in formingthe terminal fitting 10. Thus, the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt have excellent productivity.

The connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt areaccommodated in a casing 520 (FIGS. 11 to 14) of the connector 501. Theconnector 501 is fixed to the mating connector 601 via the casing 520after connector fitting between the connector 501 and the matingconnector 601. The casing 520 of the connector 501 in this example isscrewed to a connector fastening wall 631 of the mating connector 601using a threaded member B (FIGS. 11 to 13). A portion of an outer wallof a case 630 of the mating apparatus 600 is used as the connectorfastening wall 631.

The casing 520 has a cylindrical fitting portion 521 to be fitted andconnected to a mating fitting portion 623 of the mating housing 620along a cylinder axis direction (FIGS. 11 to 13). The fitting portion521 and the mating fitting portion 623 may be formed such that thefitting portion 521 is fitted into an internal space of the matingfitting portion 623, or the mating fitting portion 623 is fitted into aninternal space of the fitting portion 521. In any case, the fittingportion 521 is fitted and connected to the mating fitting portion 623via an annular liquid seal member Se1 (FIG. 11). The liquid seal memberSe1 is a seal member such as a gasket for sealing an annular gap formedbetween the fitting portion 521 and the mating fitting portion 623 afterthe fitting connection.

In this example, the mating fitting portion 623 is also formed in acylindrical shape, and is coaxially fitted into the internal space ofthe fitting portion 521. The mating housing 620 is screwed to the outerwall (the connector fastening wall 631) of the case 630 using malethreaded members B1 with the mating fitting portion 623 protrudedoutward from the outer wall (FIGS. 11 and 13). The liquid seal memberSe1 in this example is mounted on an outer circumferential surface ofthe mating fitting portion 623 coaxially with the mating fitting portion623. Thus, an inner circumferential surface of the fitting portion 521in this example is fitted and connected to the outer circumferentialsurface of the mating fitting portion 623 via the liquid seal memberSe1.

The casing 520 may be composed only of an insulating housing or may becomposed of an insulating housing and a shield shell made of a metalmaterial. The connector 501 in this example is configured as a so-calledshield connector capable of preventing noise intrusion from the outside.Thus, the casing 520 in this example includes the insulating housing 530and a shield shell 540 made of a metal material (FIGS. 12 and 14).

The housing 530 is formed of an insulating material such as a syntheticresin. The housing 530 accommodates at least the connection terminals 1.

The housing 530 may be composed of one component or a plurality ofcomponents assembled together. The housing 530 in this example iscomposed of a first accommodating member 530A and a second accommodatingmember 530B (FIGS. 12 and 14).

The first accommodating member 530A is formed as a cylindrical body, atleast one end of which in a cylinder axis direction is opened. Thesecond accommodating member 530B is inserted into an internal space ofthe first accommodating member 530A from the opening along the cylinderaxis direction. An insertion hole 532 is formed in a cylindrical outerwall 531 of the first accommodating member 530A for each connectionterminal 1 so as to insert the connection terminal 1 into the internalspace from the front end 11 e of the electrical connection portion 11(FIG. 14). The respective connection terminals 1 are inserted from therespective insertion holes 532 in the same direction. The firstaccommodating member 530A in this example protrudes the electric wireconnection portions 12 outward from the insertion holes 532 whileaccommodating the electrical connection portions 11 and the coveringmembers 20 in the internal space.

The second accommodating member 530B has a terminal accommodatingchamber 533 for each connection terminal 1 so as to accommodate theelectrical connection portion 11 and the covering member 20 in theinternal space of the first accommodating member 530A (FIG. 14). Withthe second accommodating member 530B inserted into the internal space ofthe first accommodating member 530A, each electrical connection portion11 and each covering member 20 accommodated in the internal space of thefirst accommodating member 530A enter the corresponding terminalaccommodating chamber 533 from an opening 533 a (FIG. 14) to beaccommodated therein. Accommodating the second accommodating member 530Bin the internal space of the first accommodating member 530A allows theelectrical connection portions 11 and the covering members 20 to beaccommodated in the terminal accommodating chambers 533. The secondaccommodating member 530B, which employs such an accommodating form ofthe electrical connection portions 11 and the covering members 20 in theterminal accommodating chambers 533, has a cutout 534 that is formedcontinuously from each opening 533 a and causes each terminalaccommodating chamber 533 to communicate with the outside on its outercircumferential surface side (FIG. 14). The electric wire connectionportions 12 are protruded to the outside of the second accommodatingmember 530B from the cutouts 534. The cutouts 534 are arranged oppositeto the insertion holes 532 of the first accommodating member 530A in astate in which the second accommodating member 530B is accommodated inthe internal space of the first accommodating member 530A so as toprotrude the electric wire connection portions 12 outward from theinsertion holes 532. Each terminal accommodating chamber 533 of thesecond accommodating member 530B also has another opening on an oppositeside from each opening 533 a. The opening is used as the terminalinsertion port 533 b used for accommodating the electrical connectionportion 611 of the mating connection terminal 610 in the terminalaccommodating chamber 533 (FIG. 12). The electrical connection portions611 are physically and electrically connected to the electricalconnection portions 11 within the terminal accommodating chambers 533.

The first accommodating member 530A and the second accommodating member530B are screwed to the shield shell 540 using a male threaded member B2(FIG. 14).

The shield shell 540 prevents noise intrusion into the electricalconnection portions 11 of the terminal fittings 10 accommodated withinthe housing 530 by accommodating at least the housing 530 therein. Theshield shell 540 in this example prevents noise intrusion into not onlythe housing 530 but also the electric wire connection portions 12 of theterminal fittings 10 and the ends of the electric wires We pulled out ofthe housing 530. Thus, the shield shell 540 in this example accommodatestherein an area from the housing 530 to the ends of the electric wiresWe. The shield shell 540 has a main shield body 541 that covers thehousing 530 from the outside while exposing the terminal insertion ports533 b therefrom, and a sub shield body 542 that covers from the outsideeach electric wire connection portion 12 and the end of each electricwire We protruded to the outside of the housing 530 from each insertionhole 532 (FIGS. 11 to 14).

The main shield body 541 has a cylindrical shape whose one end in acylinder axis direction is opened. The housing 530 is accommodatedwithin the main shield body 541 from the opening. The terminal insertionports 533 b of the housing 530 are exposed from the opening.

The shield shell 540 has the above fitting portion 521. The rim of theopening of the main shield body 541 is used as the fitting portion 521in the shield shell 540.

In the shield shell 540, a through hole is formed in an outercircumferential wall of the main shield body 541 so as to be arrangedopposite to each insertion hole 532 of the housing 530. The sub shieldbody 542 is formed so as to close each through hole.

The sub shield bodies 542 are formed in a cylindrical shape whoseopposite ends are opened. The sub shield bodies 542 are protruded fromthe outer circumferential wall of the main shield body 541 such thattheir cylinder axis directions correspond to a direction orthogonal tothe main shield body 541. In the shield shell 540, internal spaces ofthe main shield body 541 and each sub shield body 542 communicate witheach other via the corresponding through hole of the main shield body541 and one of the openings of the sub shield body 542.

The end of each electric wire We is pulled out from the other opening542 a of the corresponding sub shield body 542 (FIGS. 11 to 14).

The sub shield bodies 542 in this example are formed in a cylindricalshape. An annular gap is formed between an inner circumferential surfaceof each sub shield body 542 and an outer circumferential surface of theend of each electric wire We. An annular liquid seal member Se2 that isa seal member such as a rubber plug to seal the annular gap is providedbetween the sub shield body 542 and the end of the electric wire We(FIG. 14). The liquid seal members Se2 are mounted on the outercircumferential surfaces of the ends of the electric wires We coaxiallywith the ends of the electric wires We.

A holding member 543 is mounted on an end close to the opening 542 a ofeach sub shield body 542 so as to pull out the end of the correspondingelectric wire We and close the opening 542 a (FIGS. 11 to 14). Theholding members 543 are formed of a metal material. Each holding member543 in this example has a two-divided structure so as to preventdisplacement of the liquid seal member Se2 and hold the electric wire Wein the center of the sub shield body 542.

For the connector 501, the electric wire connection portions 12 of theterminal fittings 10 are protruded from the insertion holes 532 of theinsulating housing 530, and the protruded electric wire connectionportions 12 are covered with the conductive sub shield bodies 542 asdescribed above. Thus, the connector 501 increases an insulationdistance (a spatial distance and a creepage distance) between eachelectric wire connection portion 12 and each sub shield body 542 bothhaving conductivity by interposing an insulating body therebetween. Theconnector 501 includes an insulating cylindrical member (referred to as“insulating cylinder” below) 550 covering each electric wire connectionportion 12 and the end of each electric wire We from the outside (FIG.14). The insulating cylinders 550 are formed of an insulating materialsuch as a synthetic resin. Each insulating cylinder 550 is inserted intothe corresponding sub shield body 542, and into the first accommodatingmember 530A from the corresponding insertion hole 532 on one end side ina cylinder axis direction.

A threaded structure for generating a connector fitting force forconnector fitting between the connector 501 and the mating connector601, and fixing the connector 501 to the mating connector 601 after theconnector fitting is provided between the connector 501 and the matingconnector 601. The threaded structure uses a threaded portion of theabove threaded member B and a mating threaded portion of the matingconnector 601.

The threaded member B is arranged opposite to an outer circumferentialsurface of the fitting portion 521 with a distance therebetween, and isheld rotatably about its threaded shaft in the casing 520. The threadedmember B generates the connector fitting force in the cylinder axisdirection between the fitting portion 521 and the mating fitting portion623 by using an axial force applied by the threaded portion thereofbetween the threaded portion and a mating threaded portion 632 (FIG. 11)of the connector fastening wall 631.

One of the threaded portion of the threaded member B and the matingthreaded portion 632 is formed as a female threaded portion, and theother as a male threaded portion. For example, when the threaded memberB is a female threaded member such as a nut, a male threaded portionsuch as a stud bolt as the mating threaded portion 632 is protruded fromthe connector fastening wall 631. In this example, the threaded member Bis formed as a male threaded member such as a bolt. Thus, a femalethreaded portion as the mating threaded portion 632 is formed in theconnector fastening wall 631.

The threaded member B is attached to the shield shell 540. The threadedmember B in this example is placed between the two sub shield bodies 542such that a fitting connection direction of the fitting portion 521 tothe mating fitting portion 623 corresponds to an axial direction of thethreaded shaft. The shield shell 540 has a coupling body 544 thatcouples the two sub shield bodies 542 between the two sub shield bodies542 (FIGS. 11 to 14). The coupling body 544 is disposed with a distancefrom an outer circumferential surface of the main shield body 541. Thecoupling body 544 has a through hole 544 a along the fitting connectiondirection of the fitting portion 521 to the mating fitting portion 623(FIG. 12). The threaded member B is inserted through the through hole544 a. The coupling body 544 holds the threaded member B in the throughhole 544 a in the inserted state by locking a head of the threadedmember B to one end in a hole axis direction of the through hole 544 a,and locking the threaded member B to the other end in the hole axisdirection of the through hole 544 a using a locking member 545 (FIGS. 12and 14). In this example, a shaft snap ring is used as the lockingmember 545.

The connector 501 includes the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt as described above, and thus canprovide effects similar to those obtained by the connection terminal 1and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt.

Modification

Reference numeral 2 in FIGS. 16 to 27 denotes a connection terminal ofthe present modification. The connection terminal 2 is physically andelectrically connected to the electric wire We to constitute theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present modification. Theconnection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt of thepresent modification can be substituted for the connection terminal 1and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the above embodiment to beapplied to the connector 501 of the embodiment.

The connection terminal 2 of the present modification includes aterminal fitting 110 and an insulating covering member 120 attachable toand detachable from the terminal fitting 110 from one end in a virtualaxis direction of the terminal fitting 110 along the virtual axisdirection similarly to the connection terminal 1 of the embodiment(FIGS. 16 to 27).

The terminal fitting 110 of the present modification is formed of aconductive material such as a metal material so as to have aconfiguration similar to the terminal fitting 10 of the embodiment.Thus, the terminal fitting 110 has an electrical connection portion 111and an electric wire connection portion 112 similar to the electricalconnection portion 11 and the electric wire connection portion 12 of theterminal fitting 10 of the embodiment (FIGS. 16 to 27).

The electrical connection portion 111 is also formed in a rectangularplate shape in the present modification. The virtual axis Pi is set toextend along two flat surfaces (a first wall surface 111 a, a secondwall surface 111 b) used as contact portions in the center between theseflat surfaces and along an extension direction of end surfaces (a firstend surface 111 c, a second end surface 111 d) on two sides in thecenter between these end surfaces (FIGS. 17 to 19, 21, 22, and 24 to27). The covering member 120 is attached and detached from a side at afront end 111 e of the electrical connection portion 111. The electricwire connection portion 112 is disposed on a side at a rear end 111 f ofthe electrical connection portion 111.

The terminal fitting 110 has two covering target portions (referred toas “first covering target portions” below) 113 to be covered with thecovering member 120 at opposite ends in a direction orthogonal to thevirtual axis direction of the electrical connection portion 111 (FIGS.16 to 18 and 20 to 23). The first covering target portions 113 of thepresent modification are individually disposed on the end surfaces (thefirst end surface 111 c, the second end surface 111 d) on the two sidesalong the virtual axis direction similarly to the terminal fitting 10 ofthe embodiment.

When a connector as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-openNo. 2019-3744 is used, the terminal fitting 110 is fitted into a matingconnection terminal from the front end 111 e. In this case, a fingertouch on the front end 111 e needs to be prevented. To this end, an endsurface at one end in the virtual axis direction (i.e., the front end111 e) of the electrical connection portion 111 is also set as acovering target portion (referred to as “second covering target portion”below) 111 e ₁ in the terminal fitting 110 of the present modification(FIGS. 16 to 19, 21, and 24 to 27). That is, the connection terminal 2of the present modification can be applied to not only the connector 501of the embodiment, but also the connector disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open No. 2019-3744.

The covering member 120 of the present modification has two maincovering portions (a first main covering portion 121, a second maincovering portion 122) that sandwich and cover, in the directionorthogonal to the virtual axis direction, the two first covering targetportions 113 disposed at the opposite ends in the orthogonal directionsimilarly to the covering member 20 of the embodiment (FIGS. 16, 17, 20to 21, and 23). The first main covering portion 121 is arranged oppositeto the first covering target portion 113 of the first end surface 111 cin a contact state in the direction orthogonal to the virtual axisdirection. The second main covering portion 122 is arranged opposite tothe first covering target portion 113 of the second end surface 111 d ina contact state in the direction orthogonal to the virtual axisdirection. The first main covering portion 121 and the second maincovering portion 122 in this example are each formed as arectangular-parallelepiped arm along the virtual axis direction. Thefirst main covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122in this example are also each formed such that a thickness in adirection orthogonal to both of an opposing direction of the first maincovering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122 and thevirtual axis direction is equal to or smaller than a thickness of theelectrical connection portion 111 (a distance between the first wallsurface 111 a and the second wall surface 111 b).

The covering member 120 of the present modification further has a subcovering portion 123 that covers the end surface at one end in thevirtual axis direction (i.e., the second covering target portion 111 e ₁at the front end 111 e) of the terminal fitting 110 (FIGS. 16 to 27).The sub covering portion 123 is coupled to a first end of the first maincovering portion 121 and a first end of the second main covering portion122. The sub covering portion 123 is arranged opposite to the secondcovering target portion 111 e ₁ at the front end 111 e of the electricalconnection portion 111 in a contact state in the virtual axis direction.The sub covering portion 123 in this example is formed in a rectangularplate shape. An end surface on one side in the virtual axis directionout of the four sides is arranged opposite to the second covering targetportion 111 e ₁ in a contact state. The sub covering portion 123 in thisexample is also formed such that a thickness in the direction orthogonalto both the virtual axis direction and the opposing direction of thefirst main covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the electrical connectionportion 111 (the distance between the first wall surface 111 a and thesecond wall surface 111 b).

The covering member 120 has a coupling portion 124 that couples a secondend of the first main covering portion 121 and a second end of thesecond main covering portion 122 together (FIGS. 16 to 27). A throughhole 124 a for inserting the electrical connection portion 111 is formedin the coupling portion 124 (FIGS. 16 and 19). The coupling portion 124in this example is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having aflat surface orthogonal to the virtual axis direction. The through hole124 a having a rectangular shape is formed in substantially the centerof the coupling portion 124. The coupling portion 124 in this example isprotruded in the direction orthogonal to both the virtual axis directionand the opposing direction of the first main covering portion 121 andthe second main covering portion 122 from the rectangular through hole124 a.

The connection terminal 2 includes a locking structure 130 providedbetween the terminal fitting 110 and the covering member 120 andconfigured to undetachably lock the covering member 120 to the terminalfitting 110 (FIGS. 16 to 22 and 24 to 27). The locking structure 130 hasa configuration similar to the locking structure 30 of the embodiment,and includes, for each of combinations of the first covering targetportions and the main covering portions arranged opposite to each otherin the direction orthogonal to the virtual axis direction, a lockingprotrusion 131 provided in one of the first covering target portion andthe main covering portion, and a locking groove 132 provided in theother of the first covering target portion and the main covering portionand configured to lock the locking protrusion 131 in the virtual axisdirection when the locking protrusion 131 is inserted thereinto. In thepresent modification, the locking protrusions 131 are also individuallyprovided in the first main covering portion 121 and the second maincovering portion 122, and are arranged opposite to each other in theopposing direction of the first main covering portion 121 and the secondmain covering portion 122. In the present modification, the lockinggrooves 32 are also individually provided in the first covering targetportions 113 of the first end surface 111 c and the second end surface111 d corresponding to the positions of the respective lockingprotrusions 131. The pair of each locking protrusion 131 and eachlocking groove 132 is formed in such a shape as to enable insertion andremoval.

The locking protrusion 131 of the first main covering portion 121 isprotruded from the first end thereof toward the first end of the secondmain covering portion 122 (FIGS. 16, 17, and 20 to 21). A cutout isformed close to the front end 111 e of the electrical connection portion111 in the first covering target portion 113 of the first end surface111 c. The cutout is used as the locking groove 132 (FIGS. 16, 17, and20 to 21). The first main covering portion 121 has such flexibility asto enable elastic deformation along a lock release direction forreleasing a lock state between the locking protrusion 131 and thelocking groove 132 for the first main covering portion 121. An elasticdeformation shape of the first main covering portion 121 along the lockrelease direction is, in other words, an elastic deformation shape ofthe first main covering portion 121 required in bringing the lockingprotrusion 131 and the locking groove 132 into the lock state, and isidentical with an elastic deformation shape at least immediately beforethe locking protrusion 131 is inserted into the locking groove 132. Inthe present modification, the locking protrusion 131 is inserted intoand removed from the locking groove 132 in the direction orthogonal toboth the virtual axis direction and the opposing direction of the firstmain covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122 byusing the bending of the first main covering portion 121. Thus, the pairof the locking protrusion 131 and the locking groove 132 of the lockingstructure 130 of the present modification is formed to set the directionorthogonal to both the virtual axis direction and the opposing directionof the first main covering portion 121 and the second main coveringportion 122 as the lock release direction.

The second main covering portion 122 is formed in a shape symmetric tothe first main covering portion 121 with respect to the virtual axis Pi,and can be elastically deformed in the same direction as the first maincovering portion 121. Thus, the second main covering portion 122 canlock the locking protrusion 131 at the first end to the locking groove132 in the covering target portion 113 of the second end surface 111 d,and release the lock state similarly to the first main covering portion121. Consequently, in the present modification, the locking protrusions131 can be inserted into and removed from the locking grooves 132 in thedirection orthogonal to both the virtual axis direction and the opposingdirection of the first main covering portion 121 and the second maincovering portion 122 by using the bending of the second main coveringportion 122 as well as the bending of the first main covering portion121.

In the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wtof the present modification described above, the terminal fitting 110 isinserted into the through hole 124 a of the coupling portion 124 of thecovering member 120 from the front end 111 e of the electricalconnection portion 111 (FIG. 19). In the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt, the first main covering portion 121and the second main covering portion 122 are elastically deformed andbent in the direction orthogonal to both the virtual axis direction andthe opposing direction of the first main covering portion 121 and thesecond main covering portion 122 (FIGS. 25 and 26). The first maincovering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122 are bentto positions where the respective locking protrusions 131 do not lockthe side at the front end 111 e of the electrical connection portion111. In the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electricwire Wt, while the first main covering portion 121 and the second maincovering portion 122 are being bent as described above, the respectivelocking protrusions 131 of the first main covering portion 121 and thesecond main covering portion 122 are inserted into the respectivelocking grooves 132 of the first covering target portions 113 of thefirst end surface 111 c and the second end surface 111 d (FIG. 24). Inthe connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt,with the pair of each locking protrusion 131 and each locking groove 132brought into the lock state as described above, the first coveringtarget portions 113 of the first end surface 111 c and the second endsurface 111 d are covered with the first main covering portion 121 andthe second main covering portion 122. Additionally, the second coveringtarget portion 111 e ₁ at the front end 111 e is covered with the subcovering portion 123.

In the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt,for example, an operator elastically deforms and bends the first maincovering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122 with thesub covering portion 123 as a point of force application, or a jig orthe like is used to elastically deform and bend the first main coveringportion 121 and the second main covering portion 122 with the subcovering portion 123 as a point of force application (FIG. 25). When thecoupling portion 124 abuts against positioning protrusions 114 (FIGS. 16to 18 and 20 to 22) individually protruded from the first end surface111 c and the second end surface 111 d in the above state, the bendingof the first main covering portion 121 and the second main coveringportion 122 is eliminated. This enables the respective lockingprotrusions 131 of the first main covering portion 121 and the secondmain covering portion 122 to be inserted into the respective lockinggrooves 132 of the first covering target portions 113 of the first endsurface 111 c and the second end surface 111 d in the connectionterminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt (FIG. 24).

The locking protrusion 131 of the first main covering portion 121 mayhave an inclined surface 131 a that is inclined to a travel direction ofthe electrical connection portion 111 in attaching the covering member120 to the terminal fitting 110, with respect to an insertion andremoval direction of the pair of the locking protrusion 131 and thelocking groove 132 (FIG. 26). The locking protrusion 131 of the secondmain covering portion 122 may also have an inclined surface 131 a thatis inclined to the travel direction of the electrical connection portion111, with respect to the insertion and removal direction of the pair ofthe locking protrusion 131 and the locking groove 132 (FIG. 26). In thiscase, in the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electricwire Wt, the electrical connection portion 111 is inserted into thethrough hole 124 a of the coupling portion 124 and moved until the frontend 111 e of the electrical connection portion 111 abuts against theinclined surfaces 131 a of the respective locking protrusions 131. Therespective inclined surfaces 131 a convert a force received from thefront end 111 e of the electrical connection portion 111 into a force inthe direction to bend the first main covering portion 121 and the secondmain covering portion 122. That is, in the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt, the front end 111 e of theelectrical connection portion 111 elastically deforms and bends thefirst main covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion 122while traveling along the inclined surfaces 131 a of the respectivelocking protrusions 131 (FIG. 26). In the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt, the respective locking protrusions131 climb on the second wall surface 111 b (or the first wall surface111 a when the inclined surfaces 131 a are inclined in an oppositedirection) at the front end 111 e, and then climb over the second wallsurface 111 b (or the first wall surface 111 a) at the front end 111 eto eliminate the bending of the first main covering portion 121 and thesecond main covering portion 122. The respective locking protrusions 131of the first main covering portion 121 and the second main coveringportion 122 are thereby inserted into the respective locking grooves 132of the first covering target portions 113 of the first end surface 111 cand the second end surface 111 d.

As described above, in the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present modification, each ofthe first main covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion122 of the covering member 120 is provided with one of the lockingprotrusion 131 and the locking groove 132, and is given flexibility.Thus, the covering member 120 can be attached to the terminal fitting110 only by inserting the terminal fitting 110 provided with the otherof the locking protrusion 131 and the locking groove 132 into thecovering member 120 similarly to the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the embodiment. Consequently, theconnection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt caneasily prevent a finger touch on the terminal fitting 110 similarly tothe connection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt ofthe embodiment. Additionally, since the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present modification employsuch a simple structure, the terminal fitting 110 and the coveringmember 120 can be made of a variety of materials and formed in a varietyof shapes similarly to the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the embodiment. This also makes iteasier to achieve the finger-touch prevention for the terminal fitting110. Moreover, in the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equippedelectric wire Wt of the present modification, it is not necessary toincrease the number of steps of forming the shape (the locking grooves132) used for attaching the covering member 120 in forming the terminalfitting 110 similarly to the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the embodiment. Thus, theconnection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt haveexcellent productivity.

Furthermore, in the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equippedelectric wire Wt of the present modification, not only the firstcovering target portions 113 of the first end surface 111 c and thesecond end surface 111 d, but also the second covering target portion111 e ₁ at the front end 111 e in the electrical connection portion 111can be covered with the covering member 120. Thus, the connectionterminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the presentmodification can be applied to not only the connector 501 of theembodiment, but also the connector disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open No. 2019-3744 as described above.

The covering member 120 of the present modification may be provided witha cutout 123 a in the sub covering portion 123 so as to divide the subcovering portion 123 into an area close to the first main coveringportion 121 and an area close to the second main covering portion 122(FIG. 27). The cutout 123 a is formed in such a size as not to allow afinger touch on the second covering target portion 111 e ₁ at the frontend 111 e. The cutout 123 a is formed in the sub covering portion 123 inthis example in substantially the center in the opposing direction ofthe first main covering portion 121 and the second main covering portion122. By using the covering member 120 provided with the cutout 123 a asdescribed above, the first main covering portion 121 and the second maincovering portion 122 in the connection terminal 2 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the present modification can bebent in the same directions as the first covering portion 21 and thesecond covering portion 22 in the connection terminal 1 and theterminal-equipped electric wire Wt of the embodiment. That is, theconnection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt of thepresent modification enable the covering member 120 to be attached toand detached from the terminal fitting 110 in the same manner as theconnection terminal 1 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wt of theembodiment.

In the connection terminal 2 and the terminal-equipped electric wire Wtof the present modification, the covering member 120 may be formed in ashape matching the terminal fitting 10 of the embodiment. Consequently,the connection terminal 1 of the embodiment and the connection terminal2 of the present modification can be fabricated by using the commonterminal fitting 10.

In the connection terminal and the terminal-equipped electric wireaccording to the present embodiments, each of the two covering portionsof the covering member is provided with one of the locking protrusionand the locking groove, and is given flexibility. Thus, the coveringmember can be attached to the terminal fitting only by inserting theterminal fitting provided with the other of the locking protrusion andthe locking groove into the covering member. Consequently, theconnection terminal and the terminal-equipped electric wire can easilyprevent the finger touch on the terminal fitting.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein setforth.

What is claimed is:
 1. A connection terminal comprising: a terminalfitting; an insulating covering member attachable to and detachable fromthe terminal fitting from one end in a virtual axis direction of theterminal fitting along the virtual axis direction; and a lockingstructure provided between the terminal fitting and the covering memberand configured to undetachably lock the covering member to the terminalfitting, wherein the covering member includes two covering portionsconfigured to sandwich and cover, in a direction orthogonal to thevirtual axis direction, covering target portions disposed at oppositeends in the orthogonal direction of the terminal fitting, the coveringtarget portions are areas capable of being finger-touch preventiontargets to be prevented from being touched by a finger when accommodatedwithin a casing of a connector, the locking structure includes, for eachof combinations of the covering target portions and the coveringportions arranged opposite to each other in the orthogonal direction, alocking protrusion provided in one of the covering target portion andthe covering portion, and a locking groove provided in the other of thecovering target portion and the covering portion and configured to lockthe locking protrusion in the virtual axis direction when the lockingprotrusion is inserted thereinto, and each of the covering portions hassuch flexibility as to enable elastic deformation along a lock releasedirection for releasing a lock state between the locking protrusion andthe locking groove for the covering portion.
 2. The connection terminalaccording to claim 1, wherein the pair of the locking protrusion and thelocking groove is formed to set the orthogonal direction as the lockrelease direction.
 3. The connection terminal according to claim 1,wherein the covering member includes a sub covering portion configuredto cover an end surface at the end in the virtual axis direction of theterminal fitting in addition to two main covering portions as thecovering portions.
 4. The connection terminal according to claim 3,wherein the sub covering portion is coupled to each of the two maincovering portions, and the pair of the locking protrusion and thelocking groove is formed to set a direction orthogonal to both thevirtual axis direction and an opposing direction of the two maincovering portions as the lock release direction.
 5. The connectionterminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal fitting includes anelectrical connection portion formed in a rectangular plate shape, atleast one of two flat surfaces along the virtual axis direction of theelectrical connection portion being used as a contact portion with amating connection terminal, and the covering target portions areindividually disposed on end surfaces on two sides along the virtualaxis direction of the electrical connection portion.
 6. The connectionterminal according to claim 2, wherein the terminal fitting includes anelectrical connection portion formed in a rectangular plate shape, atleast one of two flat surfaces along the virtual axis direction of theelectrical connection portion being used as a contact portion with amating connection terminal, and the covering target portions areindividually disposed on end surfaces on two sides along the virtualaxis direction of the electrical connection portion.
 7. The connectionterminal according to claim 3, wherein the terminal fitting includes anelectrical connection portion formed in a rectangular plate shape, atleast one of two flat surfaces along the virtual axis direction of theelectrical connection portion being used as a contact portion with amating connection terminal, and the covering target portions areindividually disposed on end surfaces on two sides along the virtualaxis direction of the electrical connection portion.
 8. The connectionterminal according to claim 4, wherein the terminal fitting includes anelectrical connection portion formed in a rectangular plate shape, atleast one of two flat surfaces along the virtual axis direction of theelectrical connection portion being used as a contact portion with amating connection terminal, and the covering target portions areindividually disposed on end surfaces on two sides along the virtualaxis direction of the electrical connection portion.
 9. Aterminal-equipped electric wire comprising: an electric wire; and aconnection terminal physically and electrically connected to theelectric wire, wherein the connection terminal includes: a terminalfitting; an insulating covering member attachable to and detachable fromthe terminal fitting from one end in a virtual axis direction of theterminal fitting along the virtual axis direction; and a lockingstructure provided between the terminal fitting and the covering memberand configured to undetachably lock the covering member to the terminalfitting, the covering member includes two covering portions configuredto sandwich and cover, in a direction orthogonal to the virtual axisdirection, covering target portions disposed at opposite ends in theorthogonal direction of the terminal fitting, the covering targetportions are areas capable of being finger-touch prevention targets tobe prevented from being touched by a finger when accommodated within acasing of a connector, the locking structure includes, for each ofcombinations of the covering target portions and the covering portionsarranged opposite to each other in the orthogonal direction, a lockingprotrusion provided in one of the covering target portion and thecovering portion, and a locking groove provided in the other of thecovering target portion and the covering portion and configured to lockthe locking protrusion in the virtual axis direction when the lockingprotrusion is inserted thereinto, and each of the covering portions hassuch flexibility as to enable elastic deformation along a lock releasedirection for releasing a lock state between the locking protrusion andthe locking groove for the covering portion.